Policies and Issues

Reverence for Life

We hold life sacred from conception to natural death. We support policies and services that assist pregnant women to make life-affirming choices. We advocate for restrictions on the practice and public funding of abortion. We support stem cell research that does not destroy or clone human embryos. We support patient-focused, quality end-of-life care and oppose legalizing assisted suicide. We oppose the use of the death penalty.

(En Español) Edward “Ned” Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, issued the following statement after the California Legislature passed ABX2-15, a bill that would legalize physician assisted suicide. The legislation passed out of the Assembly with just one vote to spare:

Having fallen short of winning the California legislature’s approval for physician-assisted suicide, advocates for the highly controversial practice are now are focusing on the courts. Other end runs are probably also in the works

"Compassion and Choices," which has been working to legalize doctor-prescribed suicide medication for decades, has been employing a multi-prong approach this year, including legislation (which is failing passage around the nation), initiative campaigns and lawsuits.

With minimal support and scant votes, SB 128 (Wolk, D-Davis) was pulled for a second time in two weeks from the Assembly Health Committee and is most likely finished for the year.

The bill would have allowed terminally ill patients to request lethal drugs to end their life. Resistance to SB 128 increased after passage in the Senate. Opponents continued to focus on the effects this legislation would have on the vulnerable and those on subsidized health care.